


Albus Potter and the Mystic Ruins

by Theia_hp



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Angst, F/M, M/M, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-06-16
Packaged: 2018-07-15 10:39:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7219141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theia_hp/pseuds/Theia_hp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a new group seemingly comprised of Death Eaters with a plan that baffles the entire Magical Community, Albus Potter and his friends find themselves pulled into a mysterious journey filled with questions and danger. Albus finds himself battling his worst enemy - his own mind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Albus Potter and the Mystic Ruins

**Author's Note:**

> Your encouragement and feedback mean a lot to me, so please leave a review below. Happy reading!

“There’s been another attack.”

“And a very good morning to you too, Ceci,” said Albus, taking a seat next to her at the Slytherin table. 

It was seven in the morning and only Cecilia could be so wide-eyed at such an early hour. There were just nine people at their House table, the others having decided to sleep in. Albus sighed and turned to her. 

“What is it this time?” he asked. 

“A man called Darren Weiss was found tortured and killed with the Dark Mark hanging over his house. It says that he has a wife and daughter who were both visiting family at Bristol when this happened. Weiss worked at the Ministry’s transportation department. He was in charge of supervising the international portkey system, amongst other things,” Cecilia replied.

“Dark Mark again,” Albus muttered, reaching out for a piece of toast. “The Aurors have been working their arses off trying to catch these rogues. Apparently it’s some kind of small group that wants to get revenge or propagate the whole blood-purity-muggles-suck-wizards-rule propaganda. Dad’s been so close to catching them but they somehow evade him every time.” 

“But if it’s such a small group, they shouldn’t be hard to find.” 

“I’m not sure of the details but from what I gathered, they have something up their sleeve. They aren’t as dangerous as the original Death Eater circle but when people are so focused on their stupid cause, it makes them that much motivated to see it through.” 

Cecilia grimaced and kept the paper aside.

“Scorpius still asleep?” she asked. 

“It’s Saturday,” Albus stated, taking a bite of his toast. “We can’t expect him till late afternoon at least.”

“Speaking of Saturdays, why are you up so early? Wait, let me guess. Something to do with potions.” 

“You guessed right. I’m working on a modification of the Mind Clearance Draught. We’re trying to figure out how potent we can make it, and maybe - just _maybe_ \- we’d be able to make it powerful enough to bring out really repressed memories, or even counter mind-wipes.” 

“But… Mind _Clearance_. Doesn’t that technically mean wiping the mind?”

“In this case it’s more of clearing out the fog or that sensation of not remembering something by making the person remember,” said Albus. “But yeah, the name _is_ kind of misleading. I’ll bring that up with Ivor today.” 

“I still can’t believe you’re on first-name terms with the man.” 

“Well, you know how he is.” Albus shrugged. 

It was no secret that Albus was well on his way to becoming Professor Tiberius’ - or Ivor, as Albus called him - official apprentice. Albus Severus Potter was in his seventh year at Hogwarts, and unlike a large number of his classmates, knew exactly what he wanted to do once he left. His precision and fluid motions during potioneering revealed everything there was to know about his skills. Every other weekend, when his classmates would be cramming for their NEWTs or taking a break to play a game of Wizard’s Chess, Albus would be at Professor Tiberius’ quarters, poring over a parchment with the breakdown of a new potion, or quickly rectifying his mistakes while experimenting. Headmaster Flitwick had given them a special concession with the approval of the Ministry to carry on with their potion making as long as they took the required precautions.

Professor Tiberius had joined Hogwarts soon after the Second War, replacing Horace Slughorn who reported being weary and needing to tend to his nerves. He was last spotted on a cruise ship, mead in hand, booming laughter escaping his lips and surrounded by cheery faces and chatter. 

In Albus’ first year, he had produced potions that were so close to perfect that Tiberius’ initial slight raise of an eyebrow and sharp look had turned into a more outward interest in the young lad’s talent. Things had progressed swiftly after that, and Albus emerged from his fifth year with an Outstanding in Potions and the dream of becoming a Potions Master.

Cecilia and Albus finished the remainder of breakfast in comfortable silence, each of them absorbed in their own thoughts. 

“I was thinking,” said Ceci, suddenly. “We’re going to be leaving soon.” 

“Ye-es.” 

“We should all take a trip.” 

“That’s… not a bad idea actually. But it’s going to be hard to find a common period that’s suitable for us all.” 

“That’s just it. It won’t be. The only person who might have some trouble is Roger since his training period starts earlier. Yours is flexible, I don’t have anything to do for the next few months, Rose only starts in August, Scorpius… well, it’s Scorpius, he’ll figure it out.” 

“You have a point. I suppose I could take a break from my apprenticeship for a little while,” Albus mused. 

“Then it’s settled then.” Cecilia clapped her hands in joy, her eyes shining. “I’m going to go tell Rose.” 

“Er… I don’t think waking her up would be a good idea. You remember the last time…” 

“She’s been awake since five, finishing off her Charms assignment. And anyway, I’ve started shielding myself before going near her in the morning, so.” Cecilia shrugged. “See you later!” 

Albus went back to staring at his plate, lost in thought. He made a mental note to talk to his father about the attacks as well. If there was a pattern emerging, he would need to know. Unlike his brother, James, Albus was a rational one who didn’t jump at every opportunity to pick a fight. He’d rather stay away from the red-flagged areas, and ensure that none of them (especially the hot-headed Auror-to-be Roger) got killed while on vacation.

*

Rose was bored. No matter how many times people told her she was one of the smartest witches of her age, just like her mother, she could never agree. Despite all her trying, she couldn’t master that skill of paying attention in History of Magic. It was a skill that only the rare few had, and she wasn’t one of them.

She doodled on her parchment, combining lines and squiggles into a rough caricature of Scorpius Malfoy who sat at the desk in front of her, his head resting on the table, and a slight bit of drool waiting to drip from his lips. Rose bit down a laugh as she looked down at her sketch. The likeness was uncanny. She had nailed the sharp nose and the striking jawline and the open mouth with the goofy expression. She waved her wand under the table and the parchment flew towards the sleeping boy, gluing itself to his forehead. She whispered a feather-light charm to complete her masterpiece, and pocketed her wand in satisfaction. Now Scorpius wouldn’t be able to feel it on his face. He would remain oblivious until the sniggers around him finally got to him, and he’d stalk off to find her as soon as he figured it out. She’d be well out of his way then, rolling around in laughter and thinking of new ways to prank him again. 

Rose Weasley was a Ravenclaw. But barely one, according to her classmates. For the first time in history, the Weasley family was a notorious bunch of Slytherins instead of Gryffindors, and Rose had _just about_ made the cut for Ravenclaw. She was smart and interested in various fields, but her biggest talent lay in the extent to which she could procrastinate and still turn in an E grade assignment. The other Ravenclaws had placed bets on which house she’d end up in, confident that she would be as smart as her mum and end up amidst her hard-working and knowledge-loving peers. Little did they know that she wouldn’t get excited at the mention of the library, played more pranks than the entire house combined, and ended up in detention every other week. Her friends had been deeply concerned when she told them about her job interview and assessment process for the Department of Mysteries for it required a great amount of punctuality and dedication. By some stroke of luck she’d made it there just in time, and with an acceptance up her belt and brimming with confidence when it came to her NEWT subjects, she could focus on her favourite hobby - annoying Scorpius. 

When the bell rang, the class gave a collective sigh of relief and gathered up their books. Rose made her way quickly to the door, glancing back at a woozy Scorpius and grinning to herself before briskly leaving the scene. 

“Rose, wait up!” 

She turned around to find Cecilia running towards her, excitement written all over her face.

“What have you got up your sleeve this time?” Rose asked. 

“A trip.” 

“A trip?” Rose echoed. “You know what, let’s take a _trip_ to the Ravenclaw dorms so I can drop my stuff off and hide for a bit.” 

“Scorpius?”

“Yup.” 

“Wait here, I want to take a look.” 

“Hurry.” 

Rose disillusioned herself as Cecilia eagerly raced down the corridor. She could never be too careful when it came to Scorpius. His pranks were never as good as hers, but she’d rather not be on the receiving end of a load of sludge or a stinkbomb. 

“Bloody brilliant,” said Cecilia, when she returned. “I could totally see the likeness.” 

“Has he noticed yet?” They fell into step as they walked towards the Ravenclaw housing. 

“Not yet. He seems… disoriented. Which class did you just have?”

“History.”

“Ah. No wonder.”

“So what’s this trip idea?” asked Rose.

“Well, we’re graduating soon and we’re all going to be tied down by _adult life_ -” Cecilia grimaced and continued, “so we should travel together. All of us. Maybe Greece or Rome.” 

“I love the sound of that! We should totally go to Spain. I could use the language practice.” 

“We can go _everywhere_ ,” Ceci replied, bouncing as she walked. “The world is our oyster. Or… something like that.” 

Rose laughed and linked her arm with her best friend’s.

“How’s Roger? Is he still being sullen?” 

“Eh, I haven’t seen him. He’ll be fine, just needs some time to himself.” Cecilia shrugged.

Ceci and Roger had been dating since fifth year. It had been a sudden moment of realization for him as they were coming back to Hogwarts after a winter Hogsmeade visit. Cecilia had slipped on the ice and fallen on her backside. She sat dumbfounded on the snow, her cheeks flushed, and Roger thought she’d never looked more beautiful. He’d helped her up and took her into her arms, and they’d been together ever since.

Roger came from a Pureblood family. While his parents had never thought it wise to join the Dark Lord, his brother was highly inclined towards that side. They’d gotten into a huge fight in the entrance hall just a week ago because Roger had retaliated when he heard Patrick use the word _Mudblood_. The blown out row that ensued had become a spectacle, with the whole school talking about it for days after it happened, and Headmaster Flitwick having to step in to break it up. Roger had become withdrawn and moody soon after the incident, his smiles forced and his thoughts elsewhere.

“Have you spoken to him about it?” asked Rose. 

“Yeah. It’s just getting to him. It’s hard enough coming from an old family line. He’s been fighting these kind of mentalities with his aunts and uncles. But hearing the same things from his brother… it’s just really difficult for him. He’ll come around though.” 

“Have you told him about your idea yet?” 

“No, not yet. It’s just you and Albus who know. I had to wait for _hours_ to tell you - you weren’t in your dorm when I came by this morning.” 

“Oh yeah. I got tired of the Charms essay and went to fly a bit.” 

Ceci grinned. 

“Of course you did. Did you hand it in at least?”

“I will once I finish it.” 

“Rose! Ceci!” 

Albus came running down the corridor towards them, panting. 

“I’ve been looking for you two everywhere.” 

“What’s going on?” asked Rose.

“Leslie… Leslie’s parents are dead. Killing curse. Dark Mark. He’s taking it out on Patrick. You need to come.” He looked at Ceci. “Roger’s there.” 

“Where?” asked Cecilia. 

“Outside.”

*

Leslie and Patrick had their wands pointed at each other with Roger casting a shield between both of them. A crowd had gathered around, watching them in silence. Albus, Ceci, and Rose pushed through them, taking in the scene.

“You knew!” yelled Leslie. “That’s why you made those remarks!” 

“I _predicted_ ,” Patrick retorted. “And good riddance anyway.” 

“Stupefy!” A red bolt shot out from Leslie’s wand, the power behind his rage and grief causing ripples to form over Roger’s shield. 

“Stop this. Both of you,” shouted Roger. “Leslie, I know you want to hurt him, and believe me, I know how that feels. But he’s not worth it.”

“Just move aside, Roger!” Leslie replied. “Don’t make me attack you as well.” 

“Leslie…”

“Expelliarmus!” 

Roger quickly deflected the spell coming towards him and mirrored it, causing Leslie’s wand to fly into his hand. Another flick, and Patrick’s wand was also confiscated. 

“Give that back,” Patrick snarled. 

“No. Both of you go meet Professor Tiberius. Tell him why I have your wands,” Roger stated, his eyes shooting daggers at his brother.

“You have no right -” began Patrick.

“I have _every_ right.” Roger tapped the Head Boy badge pinned on his robes. He had come close to losing it after the spectacle the previous week. As much as he wanted to curse his brother, he refrained from doing something that would get him demoted. Or expelled. 

“Now go,” he said. “All of you, back to classes.”

As the crowd dispersed, Cecilia went swiftly over to Roger’s side and threw her arms around him. He visibly deflated and gave her a tired smile. 

“I just want it to end,” he whispered. 

“I know, love. We’ll figure it out.” She gave him a light kiss and pulled him over to where Rose and Albus were waiting. 

“I’m sorry,” Roger muttered. “I know I haven’t really been hanging out with you guys much.” 

“Don’t worry about it, mate. You’ve got a lot on your plate,” said Albus. 

“It’s worse than you guys think,” said Roger. “Did you see the paper this morning?” 

“Yeah, the murders,” Albus replied, nodding.

“They aren’t just some kind of random militant group. They’ve been targeting _specific_ individuals. There’s something bigger going on here than any of us know and the media is keeping it quiet. I guess the Aurors don’t want anything leaking into the wrong hands.”

“How do you know this?” asked Rose, sharply. “I’ve not heard any mention of this at home.”

“I suspect it’s all hush-hush,” said Roger, rubbing his eyes. “I know this because my _brother_ was boasting to me. All his talk of a _better world_ and _wiping out scum_ isn’t just talk. He knows something. But he’s not involved enough to find out anything more from him. I’m guessing he got to know from one of the other students here whose parents are still Voldemort supporters, but there’s nothing more that he knows.” 

“Fuck,” said Rose.

“Yup.” 

“We need to tell someone,” said Cecilia. 

“They probably already know,” replied Albus, thoughtfully. “I’ll talk to Dad tonight though, see whether he can shed some light on this. If he’s at home, that is.” 

“Oi!” 

“Oh shoot, that’s Scorpius,” said Rose, glancing behind her hastily to see a lanky blonde with a scowl on his face stalking towards her. The caricature was clutched in his hand. 

“I’ll see you lot later. Distract him for me, please.” 

She rushed off, casting a disillusionment charm on herself in the process.

“I’ll get her,” Scorpius muttered as he reached the little group. “And it’s going to be _brilliant_.”


End file.
